


Satinalia in Skyhold

by IceQueenofMitera



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Holidays, Santinalia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 07:56:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5531729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceQueenofMitera/pseuds/IceQueenofMitera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the world at war, Josephine, Leliana and Cullen decide the people of the Inquisition need a distraction and with Satinalia approaching, they decide to celebrate the holiday.</p><p>Only Tauriel Lavellen has never celebrated...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Satinalia in Skyhold

Josephine and Leliana were in the War Room with several boxes sitting on the table.

“You do realize that the Inquisitor isn’t going to understand any of this, right?” Leliana commented, opening the top of one of the boxes. The smell of evergreen filled the room.

“Maybe not,” Josephine answered. “But surely the Dalish have a similar celebration,”

“Yule, but it’s celebrated at the winter solstice, not at the beginning of Firstfall,” The door opened and the women turned to see Cullen walk in.

“I was told you needed…,” he trailed off when he saw the boxes and smelled the evergreen. “Oh. This was the important matter you spoke of,”

“Pretty much,” Leliana said.

“You want to decorate Skyhold for Satinalia?”

“These people deserve some sort of celebration,” Josephine said. “Especially with the way the world is,” Cullen nodded.

“A moment to forget. I see your point,”

“I can speak to my contacts and perhaps arrange for a feast. Our gift to the people of Skyhold,”

“And who is going to explain what’s going on to Tauriel, Solas and Realin?” Cullen asked. “I doubt the three of them celebrate it,”

“Realin is well aware of Santinalia,” Leliana said. “She’s been around humans long enough, not to mention she’s a Warden Commander. I’ve seen Vigil’s Keep at Satinalia,” Josephine chuckled. She turned and picked up one of the boxes.

“We should get to work,”

 

Tauriel approached Skyhold, glad to see it. Solas, Dorian and Bull followed her, everyone looking exhausted.

“It was a complete waste of time,” Bull was saying. “Those Vints had no intention of surrendering,”

“They probably saw you and thought we were going to send them to Par Vollen,” Dorian teased. Bull shrugged as they walked across the bridge leading to the gates of Skyhold. Tauriel immediately noticed the air of the keep seemed to be lighter.

“What happened while we were gone?” she asked. “Everyone seems to be in a good mood,”

“The keep does feel a bit festive today,” Solas commented. Cole skipped past them at that moment, evergreen twigs stuck into the band of his hat. Tauriel’s brows knit together.

“Was that evergreen?” she asked.

“I hope so,” Dorian said. Tauriel shook her head as they walked towards the stairs leading to the main part of the keep. Grim walked by, his features seeming to be brighter.

“Okay, I know something’s up now. Grim doesn’t look so… grim,” Bull chuckled.

“Maybe Cole did something. You know he has that weird thing he does to people to make them feel better,”

“To everyone?”

“Maybe. Later, Boss,” Bull headed into the Herald’s Rest, Tauriel hated that they named the tavern after her, while she and Dorian headed up the stairs.

“I really doubt that this is Cole’s doing,” Solas said.

“So do I,” A very familiar smell seemed to be coming from the main hall and she stopped in her tracks.

“Tauriel?”

“Do you smell that?” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, giving a small smile. “It smells like home. There were a lot of evergreens around where I grew up,” Dorian smiled and he, Tauriel and Solas went into the main hall.

 

Tauriel stopped in the doorway, Solas nearly bumping into her. Dorian looked around at the scene. Josephine was adjusting a wreath on the door leading to the war room, fluffing it out. Cullen was helping Leliana decorate the chandelier with sprigs of holly. Vivienne was above them hanging evergreen garland around the railing of the upper level. Krem and Lady were covered in holly and garland and giving Griffin a dirty look. The mabari had his tongue lolled out of his mouth and wagging his stubby tail. Realin was adjusting holly around candles set up on a pair of tables on either side of the throne where Tauriel passed judgement. Cassandra was at the other table doing the same thing. Varric was helping Alexandria and Fenris hang garland around the room. The room smelled like the forests of home, which made Tauriel a little homesick.

“Is it me, or does it look like Satinalia threw up in here?” Dorian said. Solas leaned on his staff.

“Ah yes,” he said. “I have seen echoes in the Fade of this. I have never partaken in the festivities,”

“It can get a little wild back home, but I would like to see how the south celebrates it,”

“I have no idea what Satinalia is,” Tauriel said.

“I think the closest thing I can compare it to that the Dalish celebrate is perhaps Yule,” Solas said.

“Inquisitor!” Josephine exclaimed, finally seeing her. “You’re back early. We we’re expecting you for a few more days,”

“The tip was a bust. The Venatori had no intention of speaking to us,”

“I still say it didn’t help that you brought Bull with us,” Dorian said.

“Dorian,”

“Yeah, I know. Stop talking,” Solas chuckled.

“Is there anything we can do to help?” he asked. Josephine turned and motioned towards Krem and Lady. Lady was trying to push Griffin off the garland.

“They’re supposed to be hanging the garland around the walls, but the mabari seems to think this is all fun and games,"

“I’ll give them a hand,” Solas went over to join the two Chargers.

“We were hoping to have everything decorated by the time you returned,” Josephine said. Tauriel smiled.

“What can I do to help?”

 

Tauriel was trying not to laugh. Sera was sitting on Bull’s shoulders, her tongue out in concentration while she wrapped thick red ribbon around his horns. She’d already tied a bow on his left horn and was working on the right one. Flissa, Blackwall and a couple of Leliana’s agents were decorating the Herald’s Rest. Cole was hanging upside down from the railing above them, helping them by handing them holly and ribbon. Krem leaned against the wall.

“Good look for you there, Chief,” he said. Tauriel gave up and laughed.

“You think so, Krem? Sera’s idea,”

“I think it’s missing something,” Tauriel said. She went over to Cole. “Have any holly left?” Cole smiled, no doubt seeing the idea Tauriel had, and pulled himself up. He went back to his original position, dropping several holly springs into Tauriel’s hand. Tauriel went over to Bull and wove the holly around his eye patch.

“Oh, I didn’t think about that, Boss,” Krem chuckled.

“I like that, Inquisitor,” he said. “Looks good,” Sera finished tying off the ribbon on the other horn before hopping off of Bull’s shoulders.

“Now he looks all Satinaliay,” she said. Tauriel stuck the last sprig into Sera’s untidy hair.

“Now you do, too,” Sera laughed.

“Thanks, you,” She skipped away, a smile on her face.

“You know, Boss,” Bull said. “I kinda like this whole Satinalia thing. It’s pretty fun,”

“Yeah, it is,”

 

“Will you stop fretting, Josie,” Leliana said. “Everything is perfect,” The main hall of the keep was decorated in full. Tables lined the both sides of the hall, set and ready for the feast. Those in Skyhold that weren’t on duty were milling about the room. Josephine smiled. Maryden was singing an upbeat song. There was laughter in the room. Blackwall and Sera were sitting next to each other laughing. Vivienne was speaking to Nathaniel and his wife, her brother sitting next to her. Varric was telling a grand story, judging by the way he was waving his hands around, Alexandria laughing and Fenris smirking. Cole looked overwhelmed, looking to Solas for help. Solas had his hand on the spirit’s shoulder in a comforting way. Tauriel, Cullen and Cassandra were laughing at something Dorian was saying. Bull and his Chargers were the loudest in the room, naturally, but they weren’t causing a scene.

“You should enjoy your own feast, Ambassador,” Josephine turned to the woman who spoke to see Realin. “It’s one of the better ones I’ve attended,”

“My thanks, Commander,” Realin chuckled.

“Be careful using that title around Cullen,” she said with a laugh. “We both tend to answer to it,” Leliana laughed. The song changed and several people started to dance.

“Realin’s right, Josie,” Leliana said. “Go enjoy your hard work,”

“Oh, I think I will,” Josephine joined Varric, Alexandria and Fenris. Realin chuckled.

“You should follow your advice,”

“It’s not really the same without Alistair and the twins,” She looked over at Tauriel, who was laughing and generally enjoying herself. “The Inquisitor seems to be enjoying herself,”

“I don’t think I’ve seen her actually allow herself to enjoy anything since becoming Inquisitor,” Realin smiled.

Sound familiar?” Leliana chuckled.

“Yeah, like you after you became Warden Commander,” Realin chuckled.

“Come, Lethallan,” she said. “Josephine did this so we could forget about the world for a night. Let’s do just that,”

 

Tauriel and Cullen slipped out of the hall and out into the crisp mountain air. As they walked towards the ramparts, Tauriel slipped her hand into Cullen’s. Cullen smiled.

“How have you enjoyed your first Satinalia?”

“It’s not much different than Yule, really,” she answered. “We exchange gifts and the clan gathers together to have a simple feast and pray to the Creators. We give thanks for the blessings of the year and pray for the new year,”

“That sounds beautiful,” Tauriel smiled as they reached the spot where they’d shared their first kiss. Cullen reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wrapped package. “I have something for you,” he said as he handed it to her. She opened it, the scent of evergreen wafting out. In her hand was a silver pendent shaped like a tree on a silver chain.

“Oh, Cullen,” She was immediately reminded of the Vir Tanadhal, the Way of the Three Trees the Hunters were taught. “It’s perfect,”

“May I?” He took the necklace and fastened it in place. It hung just above her breasts. “I’m not sure how long the scent will last, but I saw the look on your face when you saw the decorations,”

“Dorian told you about me growing up around evergreens, didn’t he?” Cullen rubbed the back of his neck and Tauriel gave a giggle, knowing his tell. “Come on. I have something for you, too,” Tauriel led the way to his office. On his desk was a long box with a bow on it.

“This wasn’t here when I left,”

“I talked Lady into sneaking it in here after you left for the feast,” Cullen opened the box to find a chess board with hand carved pieces. Cullen smiled.

“This is a wonderful gift, Tauriel,” he said.

“Blackwall helped me carve the pieces. I remembered how you enjoyed playing,”

“I also remember you beating me soundly the first time we played,” Tauriel smiled.

“This isn’t all,” She pulled out a package and handed it to him. Cullen unwrapped it to find a Dalish made dagger. He immediately recognized it as the one Tauriel had carried when they found her in the Temple after the explosion at the Conclave.

“Tauriel,” She put her hand on his.

“You weren’t the only one with a lucky piece. My father gave me this when I first started training to use weapons. It’s brought me luck ever since. I want to pass its luck to you,” Cullen didn’t know what to say. Tauriel patted the pocket she kept Cullen’s lucky coin in. “I didn’t want to take all of your luck and leave you with none,” Cullen chuckled and pulled her close.

“We wouldn’t want that, now do we?” Tauriel smiled and reached up to pull his face towards her, kissing him.

“Thank you, Cullen. My first Satinalia has been wonderful,”

“Let’s hope the next one is as wonderful,” He pulled her towards him again and gave her a passionate kiss.


End file.
